1oz of Sanity
by Saphrin M
Summary: Story 2 of 6: Bella takes a certain vampire under her wing when she finds out the troubles he's gotten himself into. How far will she go to heal him? RR!


*Disclaimer* I do not own Jeff Hardy, Amy, Matt, or Vampiro. Bella, however, is mine so don't steal her. Yes yes, don't sue… blah blah… READ THE STORY AND REVIEW!!!!

Bella laid back on the couch, watching Jeff bleed out the rest of the drugs for the 7th night in a row. She would work him until he died, if she had to. In one of her hands, she held a goblet of wine, in the other, a goblet of her blood. A treat for Jeff, if he earned it.

"I'm going to die."

"One day, child, we all will." She let out a quiet laugh, and took a sip of the wine. Contrary to what humans thoughts, vampires could eat, could taste, but it would never replace the nutritious blood they needed to survive.

Under hot lights, Jeff laid near death once again, as Bella had willed it. He couldn't move and his skin bubbled, cracked, and burnt under the baking light. He spit up blood from her will and from his pores, until she would be satisfied that he was clean.

Bella felt bad. He was so young and knew so little of the world around him. HE couldn't have known the trouble drugs would work on his beautiful body. Then again, maybe he did, and did because of the fact he murdered his own brother.

She got of the couch, placing the two glasses on the ground, and peered over his body. She waved the lights off with a hand. "Get up, darling. It's time."

Jeff groaned. "Time for what?"

"A lesson in life. I'm going to teach you everything." She looked around. "Mathieu? Come and take Jeff to be cleaned."

***

She looked over his half dead corpse, cleaning the wounds and bandaging the cuts. "You don't care of the cuts you get. You fight too much, Jeff."

"It doesn't matter."

"Oh, but it does, child." She finished dressing the wounds. "You are my project. I intend to make something out of you, you know."

Jeff rolled off the table, disoriented. "Where'd my shirt go?"

"I had to throw it away. Too much blood." She watched him for a moment, then spoke. "You look like an alien in your skin. You look so out of place. You must walk… act… live as your are. Accept this fact, Jeff. You are a vampire for the rest of eternity, like it or not."

" I don't want to be!" The first violent outburst.

Bella guessed it would not be the last. "But do you have a choice now? Can you go back?"

No answer.

"Think of it this way, love, at least you'll always be pretty." She touched his cheek. "Now, get dressed. We have much to cover."

Bella walked out. Poor child was so lost and he'd never had anyone to turn to, to each him. Vampiro had never taught him how to deal with… vampirism. It was like a disease. Cancer patient had to deal with the fact that they could not be cured and they would die. Same with vampires. No cure, but… however, no death. It almost seemed more scary to never be able to die. They can't die, not a cure found. Vampires are stuck for the rest of their horrible lives.

Bella, as one of the elders, felt sympathy for the younger ones. Short years as a vampire, nothing was so horrible as to feel so alone. She knew the feeling. She was alone for nearly seven hundred years. She understand the pain and the loneliness… and the willingness to just quit.

She waited downstairs, hoping Jeff wouldn't be as strange as he had been. She wanted to show him what a wonderful world he had been brought into it. What a beautiful life he could have without the drugs and hate.

Jeff walked down the stairs, towards Bella.

"Come, child. I'll take you out now to dine."

***

"Oh, Mademoiselle Bella, you grace us with your presence."

She regarded the maitre d' with a small amount of curiosity. "As I do often. This is my guest tonight, Monsieur Hardy. I would assume you have the finest selection, of course."

"Oh yes. Very fine tonight indeed… _oui,_ mademoiselle."

"We shall see." Bella followed him to their seats. No menus were given.

Jeff looked over to her, puzzled. "Where's….?"

She laughed and leaned over the table. "Any one of theses high society carats--- they're yours. We can't take them dry, but it doesn't matter. Taste them all, if it pleases you." She waited for something… anything from him.

And Jeff… laughed. He looked around. "All of these brats think they're at _La Cote Doree_ to eat the finest food, finest wines… and it's run by vampires. We herd them in, and take their blood. It's… insane."

Bella shrugged. "And?"

"It's great! I had no idea this existed."

"If this amuses you, love, you just wait." She licked her lips. "Now, let's feast."

***

"Bella… how is he… the truth."

Bella looked over at the sleeping man. "Better. I bled and burned all the impurities out. As a treat, for being so good, I took him to La Cote D'oree. He was very excited. Poor thing is tired now. I will watch him tonight. The week bleeding was… almost too much. This… will be good for him.

Vampiro let out a lengthy sigh. "Good… well… yes…call me if anything goes wrong."

She hung up the phone and pulled the sheets over Jeff's sleeping body. She brushed the hair behind his ear, kissing his cheek. "Sleep, child, I shall watch over you."

***

Bella read the whole morning and afternoon, sometimes glancing over at him. He slept without moving, a corpse. She couldn't help but want to help him. She was so miserable, so lost. She knew. She understood. So many centuries she was lost. Never… never would she allow that to happen again if she could prevent it.

And then, he finally awoke nearing eight o'clock.

Bella watched him stretch. He was always so handsome, so lovely.

He looked around. "Bella?"

"Hmm?" She took off her glasses and put down the book.

"Why do you care?"

"Get dressed Jeff. The night is upon us. You have much to learn still." Bella ignored his question and moved into the closet, finding a pair of black slacks and a red tank top. She slipped back out quickly, seeing Jeff still lying on the bed. "Move it, Jeff. I have little patience for laziness."

Bella walked out of the room. She felt good. Her project was coming along quite nicely. She tied back her hair, wrapping it up into a bun and down the stairs she went. "Mathieu, _viens ici!_"

"My name is not Mathieu, Bella."

She grinned at the man with long black hair. " I know, but my darling must stop hating himself. He killed his brother named Matt, Stefan."

He laughed. "On purpose?"

Bella shook her head. "No, he was crazed as a new vampire and it was an accident. However, the thought pains him as it left his sister-in-law with a two week old baby and to mourn her husband. She, however, doesn't know it was him."

"So he's insane." Stefan concluded.

"To a point, but aren't we all?"

He shrugged. "What are we to do tonight?"

Bella smiled, flashing her pearly incisors. "We are going to visit his sister-in-law. Jeff needs to do this."

***

"I can't believe you--- why?"

Bella didn't answer. In time, Jeff would thank her once he understood it all.

"I can't see her… or Tyra…. I killed Matt, for Christ's sake. How can I go there, knowing what Amy doesn't?!"

Bella sighed. "Jeff, it will be fine. I will be there to calm you. If she asks, I am your girlfriend," she started to lace her voice, hypnotizing him. "We have been together for two years. I got you away from the drugs and you're being a musician. You are happy and over Matt's death. Now, calm down and relax, child."

She didn't like doing that, but not always could she trust him to behave himself. Amy knew they were coming. She sent her a "feeling." Amy was partially psychic, even if she didn't know it

__

"Mathieu" opened the limo door. "We're here."

Bella grabbed Jeff's hand and placed a motherly kiss on his cheek. "You need this, I know it." She walked with him to the door, feeling his every shake, every quake as he forced himself to press the doorbell.

"Yes?" A way voice pulled opened the door. "Jeff? Is that you?"

"Amy…I…" Jeff lost his voice. Amy looked the same as she had been in all the pictures, except for the here year old standing behind her legs. The little girl was a Matt look-a-like. Long curly black hair and big dark eyes.

"Wow… I can't believe it. Come in!" Amy tentatively watched Bella enter."

"Amy… this is Bella."

Bella offered her hand. As soon as they shook, she probed lightly into her mind. She was happy, not angry, that Jeff was back.

"I had heard… that you had got into heavy drugs." She picked up her daughter and walked into the family room, sitting down on one of the big leather couches.

He nodded, ashamed. "I… yes. Bella here stopped me. She put me back on track. She's an angel."

Bella smiled, blushing a bit. She never pushed him to call her an angel.

Amy smiled back at Bella. "Tyra," she looked down at her daughter, "this is your Uncle Jeff!"

"He looks weird." Tyra looked him over, then hid her face in Amy's chest.

"She's shy." Amy explained, petting Tyra's head. "So… why'd you come now?"

"I… had to." Jeff shot Bella a dirty look.

Amy nodded, then looked towards Bella. "So.. .what do you do, like, as a job?"

"Oh, I'm a silversmith. I make jewelry and the such."  
_No you don't._

She smiled at Jeff. _I did, but not now. But that's not important, now is it, darling?_

"Wow! That sounds really neat. Jeff, what are you doing?"

"I'm doing my music again… art too I guess."

Bella smiled… things were looking up.

TBC…

A/N: So yes, these are my vampire stories…and yeah…. Definitely happy about this story-- go review and make me happy-- and my Jeff muse happy--- he's been doing too much coke lately. So make him happy, give him a review, and he'll stop doing so many drugs! :P 

-Saphi M


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